dragonagefandomcom-20200223-history
The Last Straw
} |name = The Last Straw |icon = Quest icon DA2.png |image = Last_Straw.jpg |px=260px |caption = |start = The Gallows |end = |prereqs = |location = Writing Desk |rewards = |previous = |next = |appearances = Dragon Age II }} The Last Straw is the final main plot quest in Dragon Age II's Act 3. The tension between Knight-Commander Meredith and First Enchanter Orsino has reached boiling point and Meredith wishes to lock up all the mages and search the tower from top to bottom, accusing Orsino of harboring blood mages. The Champion must intervene and choose a side. Acquisition The Champion receives a letter The Last Straw from First Enchanter Orsino at his Writing Desk in the Hawke Estate: Champion, You have proven yourself a friend to Kirkwall's mages and it seems I must call upon you once again. Meredith has gone too far, and I will not let her madness remain unchecked. I ask that you come to the Gallows at once. Perhaps we can stop this before there is bloodshed. Orsino. Note that once you have accepted this quest at the Writing Desk it becomes impossible to return to the Gallows to (for example) complete quest Herbalist's Tasks 3. Note also that once you start this quest (e.g. by accepting the quest and visiting the Gallows), you will be unable to complete any other quest or task for the rest of the game, so it is recommended to complete all quests and stock up on gear/potions/runes before starting this quest. Walkthrough ]] Upon arriving at the Gallows you are taken straight to a cutscene where Anders destroys the Chantry, causing Meredith to decide to invoke The Right of Annulment to kill all mages in the Circle (although they were not involved with the apostate mage Anders' actions). You must choose to side with either Meredith and the Templars or Orsino and the mages. Whichever choice you make will cause dissent in your party: * if you agree to side with the Templars then Merrill, Isabela and Bethany will disapprove * if you agree to side with the Mages then Aveline, Carver and Fenris will disapprove. Any dissenters that are not fully loyal to you will then leave your party if you press ahead with that choice. (Note that Anders will ALWAYS leave your party if you side with the Templars, no matter his loyalty.)) Once you get to the docks, you'll face a Blood Mage and a large group of demons, including a Pride Demon. After that, head down to the ships and you'll be on your way to the Gallows. When you get there, the mages will be fighting off the Templars from the steps. Orsino then calls for a truce, and Orsino and Meredith approach to discuss the situation. You will have an opportunity here to persuade any allies that did not side with you at the beginning of the quest to join your side. Meredith will then tell Orsino to prepare for battle, and the mages will retreat into the Gallows. This will be your opportunity to speak to all of your companions about the final battle. (If you are involved in a romance, following through with the romance options will complete the romance and earn the romance achievement.) This is also your chance to prepare for battle. Once you are done, speak with Meredith or Orsino to begin the battle. If you sided with the Templars, you will have to fight your way into the Gallows, facing mages as well as demons. Once you get inside you'll find Orsino, who uses blood magic to transform himself and you will have to fight him. Meredith and some Templars will help you. Once the battle is done, Meredith tells you to meet her outside. If you sided with the mages, you will face several waves of Templars in the inner chamber with help from the allies not in your active party. Orsino will turn to blood magic, and you will have to fight him. When the battle is done, you will have to fight your way out of the Gallows. On the way, you will face several groups of demons. In the chamber before returning to the outside of the Gallows, you will come across Sandal. This is your last chance to buy wares and enchant weapons and armor before the final battle, so prepare well. When you get outside, Meredith will be waiting with the rest of the Templars. Meredith orders your execution at this point, but Cullen will object, saying that they were only supposed to arrest the champion. Meredith pulls out her sword, which is made from the Lyrium Idol that Bartrand had taken and then sold. She begins casting suspicions on all of the Templars around her, then turns her weapon to Hawke and orders his/her execution. Cullen rises to your defense, as does Carver if you are a mage and he joined the Templars. You will then have to fight Meredith. During the battle, Cullen will be fighting with you. Your allies that are not in the active party will gradually join you. If you completed A Murder of Crows and spared Zevran, he will also come to your aid. Partway through the battle, Meredith will leap off of the battlefield and start bringing statues to life. You will have to fight them off, and then she will come back down. As the battle continues, she will start bringing the statues to life while still on the battlefield and you will have to fight both at the same time. As her health diminishes, she will call on a new type of statue. Once her health gets low enough, she will start using a technique that disables all on the battlefield, including enemies. During these times, she will be talking, not attacking. This happens several more times until Meredith falls. }} Result Congratulations! You've just completed Dragon Age 2! Sit back and enjoy the rest of the game! Rewards * Staff of Violation * Orsino's Signet Ring * Robes of the Empowered Circle Bugs * In the conversation between Meredith and Orsino on the steps of the Gallows, Orsino's robes and Meredith's armor may not fully render. This may persist through the final fight, along with a lack of textures on large parts of the environment. * After defeating Orsino, the cutscene for killing Orsino may loop indefinitely. Simply skip through it to continue the quest as normal. * If an additional romance was initiated but not pursued, Varric might say both names simultaneously as he narrates the epilogue. * During the Orsino battle, there is a chance that a templar will get stuck behind the wall of fire, causing tactical glitches and preventing the fight from ending. However, if you have summoned your Mabari beforehand, you can get lucky, and have it get stuck there as well, in which case it will probably end up killing the templar. Category:Dragon Age II main quests